Madison County man faces probation revocation in 2006 reckless homicide

EDWARDSVILLE • A St. Jacob man who pleaded guilty of reckless homicide in a fatal 2006 crash faces revocation of probation and a new felony charge after being arrested recently in Maryville for allegedly driving after his license was revoked.

Authorities said John L. Wesselman of the 100 block of Olivia Drive in St. Jacob was drunk when his pickup rear-ended a van on Interstate 55 near Troy, Ill., on Sept. 22, 2006. The southbound van ended up on its side in the northbound lanes of the highway.

A rear-seat passenger in the van, 27-year-old Sara Scramlin of Climax, Mich., was killed. Three other women in the van were injured, one seriously. They had been on their way to a religious convention in St. Louis.

Wesselman pleaded guilty of reckless homicide on Sept. 20 and was given a year's probation and a two-year suspended prison sentence. As part of the plea agreement, two charges of aggravated drunken driving were dismissed.

Wesselman, 42, was arrested in Maryville on Feb. 27 and charged on March 7 with driving while his license was revoked because of a reckless homicide conviction. That is a felony offense in Illinois, punishable upon conviction by probation or one to three years in prison.

Prosecutors are asking that the probation sentence be revoked, alleging that in addition to the new charge, Wesselman failed to complete a required DUI evaluation, failed to pay court costs and fees and, in January, tested positive for use of opiates and tranquilizers. The two cases have been consolidated for trial and Wesselman is free on a $ 45,000 recognizance bond.

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